How to capitalize on creativity in the passion economy
“Aren’t you worried?” My friend said, wide-eyed and open-mouthed.
I’d received the same response from everyone I’d spoken to since losing my coveted job at London’s top university days before, right in the middle of the pandemic.
In truth, I felt liberated. I’d been an employee of one company or another since I was fifteen years old. Coming from a working-class family I’d worked my way up the career ladder through sheer hard work and persistence.
Now, at the age of thirty-five, I had a moral dilemma —
I wanted a job I was passionate about, not one that just…
And you have 2 options
“This is the beginning of your new life.”
These are the words uttered in the film Bliss, right after Bjorn has fired Greg for spending too much time drawing pictures of his dream house instead of doing his job — answering phones.
Like Greg, many of us spend our days dreaming of a different life. Yet, rarely do we take steps towards really living the life we want. Whether we’re held back by fear, conventions, expectations, imposter syndrome or something else; it all equates to another day lost on a life we’re not happy with.
Often, it takes something big…
Leonardo DiCaprio once said, “Every next level of your life will demand a different you.”
You’re Not Going Through a “Phase”, You’re Just Doing Life
Some choices are too important to make with your short-term self in mind.
Building Habits: A Reality Check
It’s far more nuanced than many of us realize.
4 Most Unexpected Productivity Tips, Backed by Science
Updated March 2021
What We’re Looking For
Curious is a self-improvement publication for those who are eager to find out what others have already figured out. With this in mind, we accept two types of stories:
- Personal stories: First-hand experience. What have you figured out that our readers would be interested to hear about and learn from? A great productivity routine? An important life lesson? Relationship advice?
- Research pieces: Second-hand experience. What eye-opening insights can you pass onto our readers that you’ve thoroughly researched? We’re looking for journalistic style pieces: information presented in an accessible way that is objective and based on facts. …
“People can come to believe things that never really happened” — Elizabeth Loftus, Cognitive Psychologist
“People can come to believe things that never really happened.”
— Elizabeth Loftus, Cognitive Psychologist
Pain shoots through my wrist as my partner grabs my hand and pulls me onto the dance floor. “What a tune,” he shouts over the music. I stand there glowering at him. I sound like a right killjoy, don’t I?
The truth was, I was in agony. I’d injured my wrist a few weeks prior and it hadn’t healed. My partner knew this yet had clearly forgotten in his eagerness to dance with me to his favorite song.
A few days later my doctor confirmed…
Editor at The Startup + Curious + Blank Page (and a writer, let’s not forget that)
I have next to no photos of myself because I hate having my photo taken, not to mention the fact that I’m the least photogenic person ever. My cover image is a rare occasion I’ve actually posed for a photo, and that was for my (abandoned but still live) YouTube channel (the less said about that the better). As you can see, my lack of posing for photos means that I don’t know where the camera lens is — this is not me gazing into the distance while trying to look deep in thought.
I (there’s going to be a…
Mindset
Identifying unproductive thoughts helped me to create a positive mindset and cut my working hours by half in just 6 weeks
Work-related stress and 70-hour workweeks are a thing of the past for me, because of learning and applying the techniques behind Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT).
A 2020 study by the American Psychological Association revealed that 70% of Americans reported a significant increase in work-related stress during the pandemic. Personally, my stress levels increased as a result of having to work from home.
Communication breakdown with colleagues and not having clear boundaries between work and home life, among other things, meant that my 35-hour workweek soon escalated to an overwhelming 70 hours per week. …
Classic literature simply explained including recommendations with links to free e-books
What Is Classic Literature?
Ask three different people what classic literature is and you’ll probably receive three different answers. While there is no one true definition of a classic, there are, however, some commonalities between those that are classed as such.
First and foremost the writing is of a high-quality. This could be what was considered so at the time of its publication, or at a later date when re-appraised by a different generation. Determining the quality of prose can be highly subjective though so it is also important to look at other factors.
Longevity then is perhaps a more objective way to define…
